"Firs' year! Firs' years over here! Firs' years!" came a gruff call as soon as Lily and Draco had gotten off the train.
She and Draco with Vincent, Theodore and Gregory all squeezed themselves into the nearest boat that sat waiting in the great lake after a man at least twice the average man's height and five times his width instructed them to do so. He had shaggy hair and a shaggy beard and black eyes.
"Hagrid!" Lily called.
The man looked down and grinned.
"Lily! Excited 'bout bein' in yer firs' year?" he asked.
Lily nodded happily.
So they began the journey across the lake.
It was very exciting to Lily, although Draco thought differently.
"Ugh! This is so stupid! I don't know why the first years can't just take the carriages like everybody else." Draco repeated for the umpteenth time.
"I think it's kind of fun." Lily retorted.
"Oh come on! My dad told me the rest of the kids get to go up to the school in horseless coaches! AND we have to sit here and get soaked. Not to mention that great oaf is the only thing protecting us in here."
He looked around nervously.
"My dad said there was a giant squid."
Lily glared at him.
"What?" he asked defensively.
"Hagrid's not an oaf."
"Who? Oh- you mean that bloke?" he asked; inclining his head in Hagrid's direction.
"Yes, I mean Hagrid."
"Well, he is too! He's so huge, he must have swallowed a bottle of Skele-grow or something when he was younger... which is only a sign of stupidity. I mean, have you ever seen someone so huge?"
"No, but he's really, really nice and he's my friend."
Draco looked taken aback for a moment, but then he quickly recovered.
"Oh yes, I forgot, you've been to Hogwarts already haven't you?"
"Yes. Every single year for as long as I remember."
"Wow... being Professor Snape's daughter must be really nice," Theodore cut in.
"Oh, it is."
"You... you don't look a thing like him though. You must look like your mother, huh? I've never met her..." Draco answered.
"Well you wouldn't have."
"Why not?" asked Theodore.
"I- never mind."
"But-"
"Never mind."
"Fine."
Water sloshed over the side and sprayed Draco; drenching him.
"Ugh; gross. This is so stupid."
"What house do you want to be in?" Lily asked.
"I'm gonna be in Slytherin." answered Vincent.
"Duh," Draco retorted.
"Yeah. Me too." added Gregory.
"Obviously, I'll be in Slytherin too. If I didn't... well, I don't know what I'd do. Leave, probably." Draco put in.
"Yeah, me too." Theodore agreed.
They all looked at Lily.
"Well - er - it's pretty obvious what house I'll be in. I mean, my father's the head of Slytherin for goodness's sake! I've never really considered anything else. But - why d'you all want to be in Slytherin anyway?"
"Well I thought it was obvious," Draco answered, "That's the best house to be in isn't it? Almost all purebloods."
Lily shifted uncomfortably. She had met Draco a few times when they were younger, but he didn't know any details about Lily's past. He believed her to be Snape's biological daughter. So did much of the wizarding world.
"What about Gryffindor?" she asked. She had always admired the Gryffindors, even though they were enemies with Slytherin.
"What about it?" Theodore asked.
"Well, what if you got in Gryffindor?" she asked, entertaining the notion.
Draco snorted.
"Like that'll ever happen."
"Oh. Right. But let's just say, for the sake of argument, you got into, say, Hufflepuff. What then?"
"I already said it... I'd leave. Especially if I got into Hufflepuff or Gryffindor.
"But not Ravenclaw?"
"Well, I'd hate it, but I think I'd stay. Being smart has advantages. Being in Slytherin has more advantages.
Slytherin is by far the best house to be in."
"Yes, I know. I was just saying..."
"Yes, well, that doesn't matter right now... we're almost to Hogwarts. I'm going to be the best in our year of course. Well, I may have some competition from you Lily." He smiled.
She smiled back.
"Yeah right! I'll so beat you! Bet you I'll be a prefect and Head Girl and everything!"
"You wish. You know, my father said that prefects aren't chosen until fifth year, and head boy and girl; seventh."
"Oh yes, I know that. But, I will still beat you Draco Malfoy."
"Sure..."
"Hey!" Gregory suddenly exclaimed.
"What?" asked Lily and Draco together.
"Isn't that the shore? And that Hogwarts?"
He pointed into the distance where Lily could just make out the outline of the Hogwarts castle from the little light the laterns provided.
"Oh I'm so excited! I'll actually be able to magic!" Lily laughed.
"Plus, I'm absolutly starving. This is taking forever and we've still got to be Sorted before we can eat. This is so stupid."
Lily supressed rolling her eyes with great difficulty.
"It's not that bad," she said, though her stomach chose then to grumble loudly.
Draco smirked.
"Not the only starving one am I?"
"Guess not," Lily smiled.
More water sloshed over the side of the boat, this time drenching them all.
Lily laughed at the look of contempt on Draco's face.
His face softened a little; but that was all.
Author's Note: Please review!!